Counting apparatus



. v. s. HARDEY 2,266,862 COUNTING APPARATUS I Filed Aug. 21, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Eg u/m [722/872 far VQyi/ 61 Hard? 01mm Dec. 23, 1941. v.s. HARDEY COUNTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21,1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec.23, 1941. v v s HARDEY 2,266,862

COUNTING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 21, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 45 AMPL/F/E/r ICONTRGLLED DEV/CE [7206/2507 Vijjgi/ dfiara gg m -M I Patented Dec. 23,1641 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COUNTING APPARATUS Virgil s. Harder,Oak Park, n1. Application August 21, 1940, Serial No. 353,480

3 Claims. (01. 235-132) My invention relates, generally, to countingapparatus, and it has particular relation to the operation countingapparatus.

An object of my invention is to provide for operating a member from. oneposition to another on the receipt of a first impulse and then to movethe member back to its original position on the receipt of a lastimpulse of a number of impulses.

Another object of my invention is to provide for adjusting the number ofimpulses required to effect the movement of the member from and to itsinitial position.

A further object of my invention is to provide inertialess means forcounting a number of revolutions of a disc in a new and improved manner.

Other objects of my invention will, in part, be obvious and in partappear hereinafter.

My invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in theaccompanying drawings and it comprises features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts which wfll beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of myinvention, reference can .be had to the following detailed descriptiontaken in connection with the in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in front elevation, of a counting mechanism.constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a view, in side elevation, of the mechanism shown in Figure1;

Figure 3 is a view taken along the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a detail sectional viewtaken along the line 1-4 of Figure 1;and

Figure 5 diagrammatically illustrates the arrangement of thecountingmechanism as shown in Figures 1 through 4 with an inertialesscontrol mechanism.

Referring now particularly to Figure l ofthe drawings, it will beobserved that the reference character It designates, generally, acounting mechanism in which the present invention is embodied. Themechanism It is mounted on a face plate ll of suitable insulatingmaterial, such as Bakelite and is surrounded by metal trim I2. A metalring 13 is provided within the trim l2 o facilitate securing certainparts on the back of the face plate II as will be apparent hereinafter.

Rotatably mounted with respect to the face accompanying drawings plate His an indicating disc that is shown generally at H. The disc I isprovided'with semicylindrical apertures I5 around its periphery certainof which are numbered as indicated at ii.

The indicating disc I! is provided with a detent l1 which is arranged toabut a stop I! that depends from a cam member l8 which projects throughan opening 20 in the face plate II. The

' manner in which the cam is is mounted on the rear of the face plate IIwill be set forth in detail hereinafter. The cam is is provided with acam surface 2! with which the outer end of the detent l1 cooperates toraise the cam member I! when the indicator disc 14 is rotated in aclockwise direction just prior to engagement of the detent I 1 with thestop IS. The. cam member I3 is provided with a similar cam surface 22 onthe opposite side of the stop i8 for a purpose which The knob 29 ismounted on the control arm 21 to permit movement thereof.

Referring now particularly to Figure 4 of the drawings, it will beobserved that the indicator .disc I! is formed in two parts. The outerpart comprises a disc 30 of insulating material such as Bakelite whilethe other part 3| comprises a metallic disc that is formed integrallywith a hub 32. The hub 32 projects through an aperture 33 in the faceplate II and in a metallic frame plate 34 which is secured to the rearthereof.

It will be noted that the control arm 21 is provided with a slottedopening 35 to permit radial movement of the control arm. 21 with respectto the hub 32. A bushing or sleeve 36 is provided around the hub 32 andwithin the slotted opening 35. The control arm 21 is biased to theposition shown in Figure 4 by means of a coil compression spring 31which reacts between the outer surface of the bushing 38 and the innerend of a screw 38 which is threaded into the control arm 21 as shown. Awasher 39 is located around the hub 32 and between the control arm 21and the face .of the disc 30 forming a part of the indicating disc [4.

Underneath the knob 29 on the control arm 21 there-is provided agenerally semi-circular detent 48 which is arranged to interfit with'anyone of the semi-circular openings 45 in the indicating disc I4. It willnow be apparent that the coil compression spring 31 will bias thecontrol arm 21 radially with respect-to the hub 32' so as to hold thesemi-circular detent-48 in any one of the semi-circular openings l inwhich it may be positioned. In order to move the control arm 2'0 fromone position to another it is necessary to move it radially outwardlyand compress the spring 31 sufficiently far to permit the semi-circulardetent 48 to clear the outer periphery of the indicating disc M. It isthen possible to move th control arm with respect to the indicating discE4 to any desired position.

The control arm 2! is also provided with a radially'outwardly extendingdetent 44 which is best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The detent 4|is arranged to engage the cam surface 22 of the cam member I9 when theindicating disc I4 is rotated in a counterclockwise direction and toprevent further rotation thereof when it engages the stop l8. Inmovinginto engagement with the stop I8 the cam member i9 is lifted by thedetent 4| to perform a control function which will be describedhereinafter. As shown more clearly in Figure 4 of the drawings, the hub32 is secured by set screws 42 to a shaft 43 which is mounted at itsrear end in a bearing 44 that is carried by a frame plate 45, similar tothe frame plate 34. A bracket 46, Figure 3, secured to the rear frameplate 45 serves to support the forward end of the shaft 43. The frameplates 34 and 45 are spaced apart by means of pillars 41 to which theyare secured by suitable countersunk screws, as shown.

Secured to the shaft 43 is a spring washer 48 which is arranged to havefrictional engagement with a friction disc 49 that is carriedby a drum58 which is mounted for rotation freely on the shaft 43. A collar 50'secured by a set screw 58" to the shaft 43 holds the drum 58 against thefriction disc 48.

With a view to preventing undesired rotation of th shaft 43, brake meansare provided for by an adjusting screw 88. A coil tension spring 89serves to bias the lever 81 in a clockwise direction for withdrawing thepawl 51 from the ratchet wheel 58. The lever 81 is pivoted at '58 in abracket N that is carried by the rear frame plate 45. A link 12 connectsthe lever 81 and an armature i3 which is arranged to be attracted by awinding 14 that is intermittently energized in a manner which will bedescribed hereinafter.

It will be recalled that the cam member i9, Figure 1, has beenpreviously described as being mounted on means which projects through anaperture 28 in the insulating plate II and the front frame plate 34. Asshown in Figure4 of the drawings, the cam member I9 is mounted on a studH which is carried by a lever 18 that is pivoted at 19, Figure 3, on aninsulating block 88 that is secured to the rear side of the front frameplate 34. The stud IT is provided with a sleeve 8| of insulation whichengages the under surface of a contact finger 82, Figure 4, that isbiased downwardly by a coil tension spring 83. The contactflnger 82 ispivoted at 84 in a bracket 85 that is carried by the insulating block80.

As is shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, the contact finger 82 carries acontact button 86 which is arranged to engage a similar contact button81 that is carried bya metal bracket 88 which is mounted on theinsulating block 80. The bracket 88 serves as one terminal to which aconductor 89 can be connected. Another conductor 98 is connected to aterminal plate 9|, also carried bythe insulating block 88, and it isconnectedby a conductor 92 to the bracket 85, thereby providing acircuit-connection to the contact arm 82.

As previously set forth, when the detent l'l occupies the'positionshown. in Figure 1 ofthe frictionally restraining the movementof the drum 58. For this purpose brake shoes 5| are provided on oppositesides of the drum 58. As shown in Figure 3, the brake shoes 5| areformed by properly shaping a single strip of metal. They are secured tothe frame plate 45 by a screw 52-. Brake ,lining 53, Figure 4, isprovided for each of the brake shoes 5| to provide'the brake surface forengaging the drum 50.

. Secured to the drum is a ratchet wheel 58, Figure 3, which is arrangedto be advanced in a step-by-step manner by a pawl 51 that is carried at.the outer end of an arm 58. A pair of guide members 58 carried onopposite sides of the arm 58 interfit with the ratchet wheel 88 andinsure the proper cooperation between the pawl 51 and the teeth of theratchet wheel 58.

The stroke of the pawl 51 is limited by a pin 88 which is carried by aplate 8| which is secured to the rear frame plate 45.

Alocking pawl 82 is pivoted at 63 in a bracket 84 thatis carried by therear frame plate 45 and it is arranged to cooperate with the teeth of.the ratchet wheel 58 to prevent retrograde movement thereof. A coiltension spring 85 in-' tel-connects the arm 58 and the locking pawl 82for biasing them into operative positions.

The arm 58 is pivoted at88 at the upper end of a lever '81 whose initialposition is determined drawings in engagement with the stop l8, the cammember I9 is lifted. In this position the contact finger 82 is liftedsince the stud I1 is in its upper position.- Consequently the contactbutton 88 is out of engagement with the contact button 81, as shown inFigure 3 of the drawings. On energization of the winding 74, the core13. is attracted and the lever 61 is moved in a counterclockwisedirection, carrying with it the pawl 51 which engages one of the teethof the ratchet wheel 58 and advances the latter one notch. This movementis transmitted through the friction disc. 49 and spring washer 48 to theshaft 43 on which the indicating disc I4 is mounted for rotation withthe hub 32. The detent l1, which-is carried by the indicating disc l4,moves along the cam surface 2| of the cam member l9 and permits thelatter to be lowered under the influence of the coil tension spring 83,Figure 4, so that contact button 88 engages contact button 81 and acircuit is completed for performing a certain operation which will bedescribed hereinafter. The continued intermittent energization anddeenergizationof the winding 14 causes the pawl 51 to step the ratchetwheel 58 around until the detent 4|, Figure 2, on the control arm 21engages the cam surface 22 and furthermovement is arrested on engagementwith the stop 13, Figure 1. Further intermittent energization of thewinding 14 merely causes the ratchet wheel 58 to advance but no furthermovement is transmitted to theshaft 43because of the frictioncoupling-providedbetween the spring washer 48 and the friction disc .48.

The extent of movement of the indicating disc l4 and the control arm 21associated therewith, of course, depends upon the relative position ofable disc driving means 98.

the latter with respect to the former. 'As indicated, anywhere from oneto twenty-five successive energizations and deenergizations of thewinding I4 may be required to first effect the closure of the circuitthrough the contact buttons 86 and and its subsequent openingtherebetween.

sirableto use some means which will not affect in any way the operationof the meter. For this reason it is desirable to use some inertialessmeans such as the interception of light rays for controlling thecounting mechanism. Ordinarily it is difflcult to arrange the lighttransmitting and light sensitive apparatus on the opposite sides of thedisc of the test meter for the reason that the operating windings,frame, and magnets interfere with the application of such equipment.According to my invention as herein dis-.

closed, I have provided for utilizing this inertialess means forcontrolling the counting mechanism in such a way as to not interferewith the construction of the standard test meter. Moreover, a minimum ofmodification of the meter construction is required in order to adapt itfor use in conjunction with the control apparatus.

In Figure 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated diagrammatically thearrangement of the counting mechanism of this invention with a watthourmeter disc construction also modified in accordance with the presentinvention. As there shown, the disc is indicated at 96 and is mounted ona shaft 91 which can be driven by any suit- Of course, it will beunderstood that, in a watthour meter construction, the disc drivingmeans 98 would be the current and voltage elements of the meter.However, the present invention is not limited to this particular drivingmeans and, accordingly, any other suitable or desired driving means canbe substituted as desired. Mounted for rotation with the disc 96 is asleeve 99 having registering apertures I00 therein. The rays of lightfrom a light source IOI are arranged to be intercepted by the sleeve 99so that they will notfall on a photo-electric cell I02 except when theapertures I00 are in alignment, as shown in Figure 5 of the drawings,directly between the light source IN and the photo-electric cell I02. Byplacing the light source I 0| on one side of the disc 98 andsubstantially in its plane of rotation and similarly placing thephoto-electric cell I02 on the opposite side, no interference resultswith the mechanism above and below the disc 95 which is customarilyemployed for driving the same.

The light source IOI can be energized from any suitable source ofcurrent such as the source indicated at I03 which may be a 60-cycle 110volt source. The source I03 is also employed for energizing the windingI I oi. the counting mechanism and certain other apparatus as willstruction indicated at I04, which is arranged to control theenergization of a winding I 05 of a control relay I 00. It will beunderstood that, when the apertures I00 are so positioned as to permitlight from the source IN to impinge upon the photo-electric cell I02,then the winding I05 will be energized. As soon as further movement ofthe disc cuts-off the light rays from the photo-electric cell I02, thewinding I05 is promptly deenerglzed.

The relay I00 is provided with normally open contact members I01 whichare closed on energization of the-winding I05. When the contact membersI01 areclosed, an energizing circuit for the winding I4 is completedfrom the source I03 which is obvious and will not be traced. Aspreviously described, when the winding 14 is energized, the core I3 isattracted and the pawl 51. advances the ratchet wheel 56.

The first advance of the ratchet wheel 56 moves the detent I1 away fromthe stop I8 and over the cam surface 2|, thereby permitting the contactfinger 82 to move downwardly until the contact button 86 engages thecontact button 81. A circuit is then completed for energizingacontrolled device indicated at I08. The controlled device I 08 may be arelay orsimilar other electromagnetically operated device as will bereadily understood. A conductor I09 serves to connect it to the sourceI03.

As long as the contact button 86 engages the contact button 81, thecontrolled device I08 will be energized. This will continue until thede-' tent ll engages the cam surface 22 and lifts the contact finger 02so that these contact buttons are separated. The controlled device I08is then deenergized.

Since certain changes can be made in the foregoing construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention can be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter as shown in theaccompanying drawings or described hereinbefore shall be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. Counting apparatus comprising, in combination, means for causingcurrent to flow in a circuit as a series of impulses, a ratchet wheel,pawl means cooperating with said ratchet wheel, electromagnetic meansdisposed to be energized each time an impulse is receivedfor moving saidpawl means to effect corresponding movement of said ratchet wheel, amovable member having a fixed initial position, clutch means operativelyinterconnecting said ratchet wheel and said movable member, a contactaim and a cooperating contact member, means operatively connecting saidcontact arm to said movable member whereby in said initial positionthereof it occupies one position with respect to said contact member andis moved to an alternate position on movement of said movable memberfrom its initial position on the initial energization of saidelectromagnetic means, and means operated by said movable member forreturning said contact arm to its said one position when said movablemember has been operated to a predetermined position after receipt of apredetermined number of impulses.

2. In counting apparatus, in combination, a driven member, stop meansfor arresting said ,driven member in an initial position, a drivemember, friction clutch means interconnecting said members for drivingsaid driven member in one direction away from said stop means andpermitting rotation of the same in the opposite direction, a ratchetwheel fast on said drive member, a pawl cooperating with said ratchetwheel,

a spring for retracting said pawl, an armature operatively connected tosaid pawl, a winding disposed to be energized by a series of electrical.

impulses for attracting said armature and operating said pawl to advancesaid ratchet wheel and drive member and driven member one notch for eachimpulse, a member movable from one position to another, means carried bysaid drivenmember for causing said movable member toshift from said oneposition on movement of said driven member from its initial position,ad-

ditional means carried by said driven member for causing said movablemember to shiftback to said one position after said driven member hasbeen rotated through a predetermined extent corresponding to apredetermined number of impulses, and manual means on 'said drivenmember for resetting the same to its initial position against said stopmeans.

3. In counting apparatus, in combination, a driven-member havingpredetermined initial position, a drive member, friction clutch meansinterconnecting said members for driving said driven member in-onedirection and permitting rotation of the same in the opposite direction,

a. ratchet wheel fast on said drive member, a pawl cooperating with saidratchet wheel, a spring for retracting said pawl, an armatureoperatively connected to said pawl, a winding disposed to be energizedby a series of electrical impulses for attracting said armature andoperating said pawl to-advance said ratchet wheel and drive member anddriven member one notch for each impulse, a contact arm and acooperating contact member stop means carried bysaid contact arm, anindicator disc fast on said driven member and having a correspondinginitial position,a scale on said disc, a lug on said disc adapted toengage said stop means and hold said contact arm in one position withrespect to said contact member when said disc is in its initial positionand to effect movement of said contact arm to an alternate position withrespect to said contact memher when said disc moves from its initialposition on receipt of the first impulse, a control arm adjustablymounted on said driven member and movable with respect to-said disc andsaid scale with the lug on said disc abutting said stop means.

S. HARDEY.

